4 Things to Remember When You’re Discouraged

The other day I heard about some families who had purchased condos in a building that hadn’t yet been completed. The top floor remained unfinished because the building project had failed. But the problem continued when it started to rain. Because the top floor wasn’t completed, the ceilings in the floor beneath it were not properly protected and mold began to grow.

The owner of the building project was no longer around the condo owners had no recourse.

We read stories like this and become angry because it seems there is no more justice in this world. How is that someone could spend so much money to buy a condo with no recourse when problems like this occur?

What’s worse, fear begins to grow in our hearts as we ask ourselves, who will protect us from injustice? We grow discourage when wicked people succeed and the righteous are victims.

We wish that we lived in a world that was more black-and-white, where the righteous are blessed and the wicked are judged.

This is the type of world that Job’s friends presented to him when they accused him of being wicked. Bad things had happened to him, so he must have been wicked. If he were truly righteous, as he claimed, then good things would have happened to him. Right?

But in the 24th chapter, Job showed them that it is not always like that.

He reminded them that the wicked man sometimes succeeds, while the righteous are left without justice, and this is what can be so discouraging at times.

But here are 4 things we must remember when we grow discouraged by injustice

1. God has unbelievable power. In Job 26 this is what he has to say about God’s power

“The dead tremble, Those under the waters and those inhabiting them.Sheol is naked before Him, And Destruction has no covering.He stretches out the north over empty space; He hangs the earth on nothing.He binds up the water in His thick clouds, Yet the clouds are not broken under it.He covers the face of His throne, And spreads His cloud over it.He drew a circular horizon on the face of the waters, At the boundary of light and darkness.The pillars of heaven tremble, And are astonished at His rebuke.He stirs up the sea with His power, And by His understanding He breaks up the storm.By His Spirit He adorned the heavens; His hand pierced the fleeing serpent. Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways.“

These are the mere edges of His ways. Like the edge of a garment that brush against the floor.

I think that if we were to truly understand the depth of God’s power we would die from the terror of it. But that truth can also comfort us when we experience injustice, because we understand that God is righteous. We have no need to be discouraged when we see injustice because God is so powerful that the whole world trembles before Him!

2. The wicked will not prosper. I love how in so many words Job said, “God gives the wicked enough rope to hang himself.”

“He gives them security, and they rely on it; Yet His eyes are on their ways.”

Job is saying that God gives them a sense of security in their wickedness and they think that God will not judge them. But God is following them. And that security they feel – or dare we say “blessing”? It’s a trap! They are secure for a season, but God’s judgement is coming, and His judgement is terrifying!

3. This is just a test of your faith. When we experience trials we can comfort ourselves with Job’s story because I dare say that it is rare when someone is tested as Job was tested. James says, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.”

We see that Job understood this when in the 23rd chapter he says, “When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him; When He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him. But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.”

Job knew that this wasn’t the judgement of God, but just a test of faith.

How can we be sure that our circumstances are not God’s judgement?

He said this: “My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His way and not turned aside.I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth More than my necessary food.”

4. Our righteousness comes from God. Bildad asked a very important question in Job 25. “How then can man be righteous before God? Or how can he be pure who is born of a woman?”

If we rely on our goodness to earn the love of God and His acceptance of us, we are deceiving ourselves. The Word says, “And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.”

We can keep God’s law and biblical principles; we can have correct theology and fulfill God’s commands…but if we think that by doing these things we can earn God’s love, then our efforts are in vain.

God cannot accept us any more than He does right now.

He cannot love us any more than He does right now.

These things do not make us righteous!

Our righteousness comes from God! Jesus’ blood makes us righteous.

Dear sister, when you’re discouraged, remember these four things: God is for us and one day He will show all His might an power, and before Him the wicked will tremble. Our trials are only part of God’s bigger plan to make us more like Jesus…from whom comes our righteousness.

Thanks so much for hosting! I love this post! About God’s power, I always tell the kids in my class “Aren’t we glad God doesn’t work like that today?” when I teach different lessons like Ananias & Sapphira!

Hey Rosilind,
Thank you for this reminder that God is bigger than the messiness of life, and that all of the injustices in the world, are still in His loving hands. Thank you for hosting another great link-up to. Wishing you a blessed week!

Oh…I’m certainly in the feeling of “I’m being tested”. Admittedly, I sometimes drift to the thought of perhaps I’m being punished. Your post reminded me to go with my first instinct. Thanks…it was timely.

Amen, Rosalind! There are so many opportunities to apply this good word you posted! Thanks much! Thanks as well for the linkup which allows us to develop a community online of many we may never meet in this lifetime and yet will encourage and enrich our lives!